Saturday, June 8, 2013

The Palouse II

First Thing - My PC died. Bought a Mac. Screw PC's. If you have been corresponding with me, Don, I no longer have your email address. So if you ever want to hear from me again, you need to send me a note.

Sunday, June 2 - It's hard to believe it's June. I am still wearing jeans and long sleeves most of the time. Haven't had on a pair of shorts in a month. We traveled less than 20 miles to get to our current location in Moscow, Idaho, which is home to the Idaho State University Vandals. We are continuing to enjoy traveling with Dave & Mary. Not only are they fun to be with, Mary is a good cook, so we are having very good meals. Last night we sat outside for a few minutes after dinner, but it just got too cool. We hope that the weather gets warm enough that we can eat dinner outside. We have a beautiful site in a county park which only has five sites. It's very quiet and we have a nice lawn. The price is right $5 with electric.

On a very positive note, while doing my shoulder exercise yesterday, I discovered that I can go past the recommended number of repeats and have not strain or pain - just like it's a normal shoulder. Final goal is to be able to sleep on my right side.

I have so many pictures of the area and I am so lazy, it is proving hard to cull them them. That's not grass, that's your food growing out there. Wheat mostly.

A short course in the difference between OK and supurb photography. My shots above. David's below. I thought mine looked good before I saw his.

Monday, June 3 - We went sightseeing again this morning but didn't see any great scenes. But it's nice and peaceful in the CG. In the afternoon we had cocktails and dinner outside for the first time.

Tuesday, June 4 - Weather was just about perfect today. We went on a scenic drive to the Snake River with Dave & Mary and saw some pretty scenery. We returned by way of Pullman and stopped at Washington State University which has a creamery and they sell ice cream and cheese. Dave had a double scoop of ice cream, Don had a chocolate milk shake and Mary and I had chocolate sodas. It was all very yummy. Tonight is cocktails and dinner at their home/campsite.

Wednesday, June 5 - Wash Day under clear skies and warm breezes.

Thursday, June 6 - We moved from Moscow, back to the fairgrounds near Colfax. It's twice the price $10, but it's the center of the Palouse. I see the crop fields like the giant green waves of the Roaring Fourties. The Cottonwoods have been putting out their seeds this week. Near the trees, the sky is looks like it's snowing. The 30mph wind today finished them off. A new record, we have been three weeks with electricity. We have not really needed it, but it's part of the fee.

Friday, June 7 - We went on a photo trip with D&M. I again learned that I have little idea of how to take a picture.

I took the picture on the left. I did not want the power poles, the road or the brown fields in the frame. Mary took the one of the right. She removed the power poles with Photoshop. Guess which one I think is a winner?

Partially redeeming, I went inside the barn and took this one. Since this editor does not allow for spacing between pictures, it appears that the field starts where the wood ends. That is not the case, but the effect is interesting.

Saturday, June 8 - Spent the morning cleaning the vehicles. We are now ready for rain or another dirt road. Delightful day. 70 degrees, 30% humidity, a moderate breeze and blue sky. There was a junior rodeo here this afternoon. Fun. Little kids, big horses. The youngest is 3 1/2, 18 is the oldest. The kids are so confident. When they get hurt, they cowboy/cowgirl up and go on. We thought the girls were a cut above the boys.

Here is the blond headed sweetheart I fell in love with. She handled her mount with aplomb. It was probably the tallest horse in the rodeo.

One bull was really head strong. He did not want to be penned up. It took them quite awhile to get him in the shoot. And even longer to get him out of the arena after he had his ride. It took three cowboys with ropes and three cow dogs over 10 minutes to get him back in the pen.

That's all for the week. We move west an hour Sunday to Palouse Falls, then west to the coast.